Gallivanting Grandma

Monday August 17, 2015

Today is the national holiday of Indonesia’s Independence Day. On this day in 1945 Indonesia declared its independence from the Netherlands. We bid our farewells to Jakarta and flew to Yogyakarta via Garuda Airlines.

Flying over Gunung Agung: at 10,300′ the active stratovolcano is the highest peak in Bali.

It was an easy hour flight and we met our local guide, Josh, at the airport. After collecting our luggage, we drove through traffic to d’Omah Hotel for lunch. Older people prefer to live in Yogyakarta because it is more tranquil and quieter than Jakarta:

We had lunch outdoors on a covered porch and were serenaded by a 5-piece string band playing local Javanese music while we sampled Rjisttafel. Literally this means “rice table” in Dutch and describes typical food created during colonial Indonesia from the 19th to early 20th century.

The view of a woman tending the rice field across the road:

Our tour group enjoying Rjisttafel:

Josh, our local guide pictured with local girls:

After lunch, the bus drove us to a small covered station where we boarded individual cyclo-rickshaws. Although I felt sorry for the strong young man peddling the bicycle, it was a blast riding along the rice fields waving greetings to the local people! It was so much fun!!!

Our tour director, Jumena:

We arrived in the village of Gesik, which turned out to be Josh’s village. We met his lovely wife and four beautiful children.

We took a walking tour of his talented neighbor’s homes and workshops. We had a glimpse of everyday Javanese life and saw how the people earned a living making batik cloth and pottery crafts.

Later we rode in rush hour traffic to the Santika Hotel in downtown Yogyakarta. After we checked in and I got my room assignment, I explored the hotel and relaxed for a while. Much later I had a light supper with Marilyn in the hotel dining room.

The hotel is modern and lovely and provides free wifi, but the wifi wasn’t good enough to download my photos onto this blog. I had to add pictures after I get home. I hoped the wifi was better in Bali. ?

Sunday August 16, 2015

The Alila Hotel provided an extensive international breakfast and good coffee. We had an orientation session with Jumena, our tour leader, and then set out to explore Jakarta, the capital city of Indonesia. Many businesses were closed and Sunday traffic was light so we quickly reached the market.

This was an actual “village” within the city of Jakarta, where families lived, worked, shopped, attended schools and prayed in the mosque.

Before we turned into the narrow alleyway, Maria warned us that the indoor market was “dark, hot, slippery, smelly, and different.” Live chickens were in small cages, meat hung waiting for buyers, bags of rice were piled high, etc. etc.

Back outside, a colorful tent was being set up and decorated for the circumcision of a young boy in the Muslim tradition:

Pictured below is one of many canals in Jakarta which were built by the Dutch during colonial times.

A children’s parade with drums and chanting danced past our group:

We walked along the main road toward the village mosque:

The beautiful and peaceful grounds of the mosque: 

The Imam spoke to us about his mosque and answered our questions. He was very gracious.

We visited a group of women who had formed a community health organization which disseminated information regarding family planning, child care, health issues, and provided a free pre-school for neighborhood children.

Afterward, we rode in several three-wheeled motorized “bajaj” – one or two people in each cab –  to Fatahillah Square.   Fun!!

Lunch was at the famous Batavia Cafe which was built 200 years ago and provided a glimpse of Dutch Colonial Jakarta.

 
Fatahillah Square:

The Main Train Station:
Unbelievable traffic on our way to the museum:

Interior Courtyard of the National Museum:

Dinner at Lara Djong Grang:  

Saturday August 15

After a brutal 15 hour trip from JFK to Taipei Taiwan, I waited for my next flight to Jakarta, Indonesia.  Three hours at the airport then a 5 hour flight. It was a very long day!

Taipei Airport: 

First impressions of Jakarta:  

View from my room at the Alila Hotel: 
I met Jumena, the tour leader and the other eight participants of the tour group, Overseas Adventure Travels, at the hotel. We took a walk around the neighborhood led by our local Jakarta guide, Maria.

Traditional Wedding Posters:

Pharmacy:
Chinese Restaurant:

Maria making a sticky rice palm-pocket:

Street vendor cooking skewered beef called ‘satay’:

Eating street food:

Residential alleyway:

Cooking fried rice for take-out:

Vendors were setting up food carts along the busy street in front of established businesses.  Maria said they sold food from 6pm to 1am. The people seemed friendly and they smiled at our small group of seniors. Cars, motorbikes, and three-wheeled vehicles clogged the street honking their horns at each other.